# New humidor (what humidification method)



## RKubica (Apr 4, 2012)

Hey guys,

i've been smoking cigars for 2 years but only began to really get in to it very recently. I just got myself a 25ct humidor, and am having trouble bringing the humidity up (I placed the cigars in after seasoning, and they dried up after about a week). I seasoned it a second time and just placed the cigars back in.

My main question is what humidification method should I use, the standard sponge humidifier or Xikar crystals? or anything else?

thanks,


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## DarrelMorris (Feb 7, 2012)

I have found that Heartfelt Beads are very reliable. There are a lot of people who swear by kity litter as well.


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## android (Feb 27, 2012)

what method were you using before? once i got mine seasoned up, i made a little DIY humidification device from floral foam (not the best, I know), and if space is a concern, the heartfelt beads or xikar crystals should do a fine job. do you have a way to monitor the RH in the humidor?


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## jeepman_su (Mar 8, 2012)

DarrelMorris said:


> I have found that Heartfelt Beads are very reliable. There are a lot of people who swear by kity litter as well.


+1 they have a small round metal container filled with beads for I think $30 roughly it will work great for you and hold you right at 65% RH with the HF beads you don't really need a hygrometer, but you can pick one up pretty cheap for peace of mind. Good Luck!


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## smokin_dad (Jan 25, 2012)

jeepman_su said:


> +1 they have a small round metal container filled with beads for I think $30 roughly it will work great for you and hold you right at 65% RH with the HF beads you don't really need a hygrometer, but you can pick one up pretty cheap for peace of mind. Good Luck!


65% beads= perfection


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## Bad Andy (Jul 16, 2011)

I really like the Heartfelt beads (Heartfelt Industries, Cigar Humidification, Cigar Humidor Humidity Beads, Heartfelt Beads, quality Cigar Accessories). I have them in all of my humidors. In my larger tupperware under bed storage, I use Kitty Litter crystals and it works quite well too.

When you seasoned your humidor, how did you do it? The wood should hold moisture to help regulate the humidity in the humidor. Also make sure your hydrometer is calibrated carefully. You can do a search to find out how to calibrate it. If it is not a digital one, I would not trust it as those are notorious for being inaccurate.

The standard foam humidifiers and the Xicar crystals will only emit moisture. They will not emit and absorb moisture like HF beads or kitty litter does. They make it harder to control humidity, although it sounds like you are loosing more moisture than having too much moisture.

You may also want to check out the seal on your humidor. If you have a "glass top", the glass may be loose, and leaking moisture through the glass panel. A simple fix would be to use a FDA Silicone Sealant to seal the glass to the humidor. (Don't have cigars in the humidor while the silicon is drying). Another thing is maybe your seal is a little off. You may be able to correct it with a little sanding, or you can try some weather strip sealer along the edges. A good humidor should hold humidity for quite a while with little fuss.

Hope this helps.

Welcome to Puff, and while you are here, go over to the new member section and introduce yourself. You will find many great people here that will answer many questions you may have.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

With a small 25 count you're going to lose more rH than a larger sized humi when opening it up. You're also going to lose more rH because of the limited amount of spanish cedar. SC helps regulate the rH, less of it will mean more fluxuations.
I would definately check the seal. With a bad seal you'll only continue to have problems.
Since you're limited in the space you have I'd recommend the beads. They take less room than kitty litter or the xikar jells.
With a smaller wooden humidor you'll have to keep a close eye on the rH.


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## RKubica (Apr 4, 2012)

At the Moment I'm just using the Foam pad provided with the humidor (With a PG activation solution and then Distilled Water), and an Analog Hygrometer (Already calibrated). 

I have a full wood humidor (No glass top) and I did the seal "test" where I dropped the lid and it made the Woooshing sound and air was pushed out (as opposed to it simply slamming). I put my cigars back in a couple of days ago (I got 20 sticks in there which I put in like 4 days ago - and they were pretty dry - but the humidity hasn't budged above 60% RH).

When I seasoned it, I wiped down the sides with a sponge - let it sit with a sponge and humidifier for 24 hours (when I opened it it was at 80% RH) - then wiped down the sides again - let it sit without the sponge for 24 hours (Upon opening it was down to around 65% RH) - Then I placed the sticks in and its been staying at like 60%

Where can I buy the Heartfelt beads (or order to Montreal) and is maintenance difficult?


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## vink (Nov 29, 2011)

Since you are in Montreal too I would say that your cheapest and easiest option would be kitty litter. Seriously I was doubtful too when I first heard that but it works like magic. Check the thread.
http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/cigar-accessory-discussion/276966-kitty-litter-set-up-122.html
It's simple just go to a pet store and buy unscented crystal kitty litter, don't buy the cheapest since it have a tendency to disintegrate in sand. After that buy some distilled water (just use distilled water with your humidor that is important) and a sprayer bottle, put some kitty litter in a tupperware cup or in a mesh bag. Let it sit in your humidor and after a short period it should sit at 64-65 rh after that if you want it higher just spray some distilled water one spray at a time and it should go up! That's it!


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## RKubica (Apr 4, 2012)

For the KL, what would I put it in to maximize the surface area, but save space? Like right now the sponge is "velcroed" to the lid...


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## vink (Nov 29, 2011)

KL takes a bit of space that's sure but you can put it in a small tupperware bowl or if you go to a pet store ask for charcoal bags for fish tanks or for birds feed bags or just buy pantie hose. One of these mesh bags would be what would take the least space.


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## vink (Nov 29, 2011)

Anyways your 25 ct humidor will be too small really quickly, better be ready!


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## Kindanutz (Jan 31, 2012)

For something small like a 25-50 ct whether wooden humidor or plastic tuperdor, I have found boveda packs to be the easiest solution for myself... It really is a set it and forget it type of thing... My 50 count Prometheus Milano series humidor came with a credo foam style humidifying device and after unstable swings and not having the patiences to figure out how to use moldy smelly foral foam I decided on boveda packs with the 2 count cedar boveda pack holder... I won't use anything else in my smaller storage spots... And they aren't as expensive as people say either... A 12 pk of 65% packs on cbid cost me about $25, and 2 of them have lasted over 3 months so far... The best part is they are rechargeable... I just wish they made boveda packs the size of a sheet of paper to use a couple in my wineador, which I am successfully using kitty litter right now... If they made very large boveda packs, I would not hesitate to use them instead of the KL... Just my 2 cents...


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## RKubica (Apr 4, 2012)

I've really been having trouble bringing the RH up in my humidor... It just hangs around 60-61%. Could it be I have too many Dryish cigars sucking in all the moisture (24)? Even so, when I tried to refill the foam pad after a few days it barely takes in any water or PG solution. I would think that if they were sucking in so much, I would need to fill it a bit more often?

I've attached a couple of pics of the humidor to the message, so you guys can see how many sticks I got in there and if you guys think it might be too much!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

vink said:


> Since you are in Montreal too I would say that your cheapest and easiest option would be kitty litter. Seriously I was doubtful too when I first heard that but it works like magic. Check the thread.
> http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/cigar-accessory-discussion/276966-kitty-litter-set-up-122.html
> It's simple just go to a pet store and buy unscented crystal kitty litter, don't buy the cheapest since it have a tendency to disintegrate in sand. After that buy some distilled water (just use distilled water with your humidor that is important) and a sprayer bottle, put some kitty litter in a tupperware cup or in a mesh bag. Let it sit in your humidor and after a short period it should sit at 64-65 rh after that if you want it higher just spray some distilled water one spray at a time and it should go up! That's it!


+1 listen to this guy he know what goes!
Did i forget to mention KITTY LITTER ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Gar Guy (Dec 16, 2011)

Kindanutz said:


> For something small like a 25-50 ct whether wooden humidor or plastic tuperdor, I have found boveda packs to be the easiest solution for myself... It really is a set it and forget it type of thing... My 50 count Prometheus Milano series humidor came with a credo foam style humidifying device and after unstable swings and not having the patiences to figure out how to use moldy smelly foral foam I decided on boveda packs with the 2 count cedar boveda pack holder... I won't use anything else in my smaller storage spots... And they aren't as expensive as people say either... A 12 pk of 65% packs on cbid cost me about $25, and 2 of them have lasted over 3 months so far... The best part is they are rechargeable... I just wish they made boveda packs the size of a sheet of paper to use a couple in my wineador, which I am successfully using kitty litter right now... If they made very large boveda packs, I would not hesitate to use them instead of the KL... Just my 2 cents...[/QUOT
> you just take these things out the clear plastic and throw it in the humidor right? i got a 72 in my 30 count now left it over night last night and checked it this morning and its 59?


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## AStateJB (Oct 13, 2011)

Another +1 for HF 65% beads! The HF beads are simple and easy (read - idiot proof). If you use more than what the calculator on the HF website recommends for your humi it will help buffer RH spikes, but even using 1 1/2 times the amount they suggest will still leave you with more room than KL. The green foam humidifiers that come with humis are CRAP IMO! (also the opinion of lots of other BOTLS) Good luck with your humi!


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## RKubica (Apr 4, 2012)

I ended up buying the cigar mechanic bead humidifier, with a digital hygrometer just to be safe on my readings... waiting for the shipment now. Hope this is gonna work


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## meatcake (Mar 3, 2012)

I have 2 humidors that hold between 30 and 50 cigars and I use baby food jars in both. 6oz GLASS baby food jars hold the perfect amount of KL for a humidor that size and cost less than $1. I leave them open (or if your that skittish about KL you can poke holes in the metal lid with an ice pick but expect a 2 point RH diff) and I get RH of 66 in both Humidors. Works like magic, no DW added, just bone dry KL. 
I also have a largish tupperdore that I have KL in but for that one I use a piece of tupperware I found at "The Container Store" that holds a single stick of butter. It has a lid on it that you can easily cut off or you could again, poke holes in it and close it up. I thought of using this after I saw people using the Cigar Coffins to hold KL. I couldn't find any Cigar Coffins locally for sale (unless I spent a ton of money on a BOX of cigars) so I figured this butter holder was a good substitute. It holds just over 4oz of KL and again, keeps my tupperdore at RH of 66 to 67.


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## monsterBEN (Aug 10, 2011)

RKubica said:


> I ended up buying the cigar mechanic bead humidifier, with a digital hygrometer just to be safe on my readings... waiting for the shipment now. Hope this is gonna work


Good choices.


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